GLUTEN-FREE TOMATO, FENNEL AND SAUSAGE PASTA AL FORNO
Our Tomato, Fennel and Sausage Pasta al Forno is a very easy, family-friendly, prepare-ahead recipe. And unusually for us it contains pasta. Penne actually - gluten-free of course.
We layered the cooked penne with a rich tomato and fennel sauce, sausage meat and cheese and finished it off in the oven (al forno). It was a hit with the eight-year-olds and the 80s.
And using our favourite Rummo brand of gluten-free penne ensured that even the most particular pasta fiends were delighted.
Double or even triple the recipe, serve with big bowls of salads and you’ll feed a party.
Rosie
TOMATO, FENNEL AND SAUSAGE PASTA AL FORNO
Serves 6
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
400 gm tomato passata
400 gm tin cherry tomatoes
300 gm gluten-free pork and fennel sausages
10 basil leaves, shredded, plus extra for garnish
250 gm mozzarella, finely sliced
50 gm fresh parmesan, finely grated
2 tablespoons olive oil extra
300 gm gluten-free penne pasta
Extra parmesan to garnish
Over a low/medium heat sauté the onion, garlic and fennel in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft and beginning to colour slightly.
Add the tomato passata and the tin of cherry tomatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer for around 10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Gently squeeze the sausage meat from its casings to form marble sized balls.
Add the sausage balls to the tomato sauce, gently stirring to distribute well, being mindful not to break them up.
Cook for a further 10 minutes or until the sausage balls are cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and add the shredded basil leaves.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain.
Gently toss the pasta in the sauce, being careful not to break up the sausage balls.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the extra olive oil into the bottom of an ovenproof dish large enough to accommodate all the pasta. Transfer half the pasta mixture to the dish and top with half the sliced mozzarella and half the parmesan. Top with the remaining pasta mixture, mozzarella and parmesan.
Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden.
Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, garnish with basil leaves and extra parmesan and serve with a crisp green salad.
TIPS:
We prefer Mutti brand of canned and bottled tomato products and Rummo brand of gluten-free pastas.